Recent media reports warn of an impending attack by Iran on Israel, escalating fears of conflict in the region. Learn more about the latest developments.
According to media reports on Wednesday and Thursday, citing anonymous sources, Tehran is preparing a response to last week’s Israeli bombing of Iran before the U.S. presidential election on November 5.
In the most recent intensification of conflict in the Middle East, Israel launched a series of strikes on Iranian targets last Saturday. This attack was in retaliation for Iran’s massive missile barrage directed at Israel earlier this month, which itself came as a response to the killing of Hezbollah and Iranian commanders. The two nations have been engaged in an escalating cycle of violence, exchanging direct attacks multiple times this year.
Several US news outlets have suggested that Iran’s response might occur within days.
According to CNN on Wednesday, a senior source familiar with Iran’s discussions stated that “The response of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the aggression of the Zionist regime will be definitive and painful.” The news network did not specify which country this source is associated with.
A source from CNN did not specify the exact timing of the attack but suggested it is “likely to occur before the US presidential election,” which is scheduled for November 5. On Thursday, at least three high-ranking Iranian officials also promised retaliation against Israel’s recent strike, although they did not provide a specific timeline.
Hossein Salami, the commander-in-chief of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC), vowed an “unimaginable response” to the attack in a speech reported by Tasnim news agency.
READ ALSO: Iranians Call Israel’s Attack ‘Expected but Stressful’ Amid Rising Tensions
Ali Fadavi, the deputy commander of the IRGC, stated that an Iranian response is “inevitable.”
“For more than 40 years, we have always responded to every attack,” he informed the Lebanese news outlet Al Mayadeen on Thursday.
Mohammad Mohammadi Golpayegani, a senior advisor to Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, also stated that Iran will deliver “a harsh and regretful response” to the Israeli attack.
According to two Israeli sources cited by Axios, intelligence suggests that Iran is planning an attack in the near future, potentially before the US election.
According to Iranian sources cited by The New York Times, the attack is more likely to occur after the election in order not to unintentionally boost former President Donald Trump’s chances of being reelected.
According to the newspaper, three officials reported that Khamenei has instructed preparations for a retaliatory strike, deeming the damage inflicted by Israel as too significant to overlook.
Tensions between Israel and Iran have escalated since West Jerusalem initiated a military operation in Gaza, following a surprise attack by Hamas on the Jewish state in October of the previous year. This attack resulted in approximately 1,100 deaths and over 200 kidnappings. In response to this assault, the Israeli operation in Gaza has reportedly led to more than 43,000 Palestinian casualties according to local officials.
